Secretary of War Pete Hegseth stood before the Washington Monument on Monday to administer the oath of enlistment to more than 100 National Guard members, marking a significant milestone for the D.C. Safe and Beautiful Task Force. The troops, representing nine states including Alabama, Florida, and Oklahoma, are part of a 2,600-strong contingent deployed to the capital following President Donald Trump’s August 2025 “crime emergency” declaration.

Hegseth hailed the mission as a historic success, saying the Task Force transformed Washington from a city of “lawlessness and graffiti” into a “national symbol of order.” The mission utilizes a dual-track approach:

Aggressive Security: National Guard units, such as Task Force Yellow Hammer and Joint Task Force Magnolia, conduct joint patrols alongside local and federal law enforcement to secure transit hubs and neighborhoods, like Foggy Bottom. Urban Restoration: Beyond security operations, task force teams have removed more than 500 tons of debris and conducted major snow-clearing efforts to keep federal sites “pristine.”

Hegseth noted that while recruitment numbers are at a one-year high, strong retention rates among these Guard members are the true indicator of the War Department’s success.

“When you reenlist, it means we are doing things the right way,” Hegseth remarked, emphasizing that the military has the backs of those performing these “tough missions.”

Soldiers like Sgt. Christian N. Brown and Master Sgt. Michael E. Eschenfelder expressed deep pride in the mission. Eschenfelder, a 36-year veteran, noted that while his unit typically handles disaster response, such as hurricanes, the shift to urban security has been met with public gratitude, with residents reporting that they “can feel that everything is relaxing.”

The ceremony also carried a somber note of sacrifice. Hegseth announced Purple Hearts would be awarded to Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, posthumously, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, who were shot during a November 2025 ambush at a D.C. Metro station. The attack underscored the administration’s justification for the federal takeover, which continues to face legal challenges from local D.C. officials over “Home Rule” violations.

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Hegseth said the presence of the “men and women who defend the laws” is exactly what the nation’s capital deserves. The mission has been extended through at least February 28, 2026.

Anti-ICE protests spread to the Winter Olympics in Italy, Nancy Guthrie’s family agrees to pay $6 million in ransom, and The Washington Post staff sees a dramatic downsizing and a shakeup at the top.

It’s Monday, February 9, 2026, and this is the news you need to know to start your day. Today’s edition of the Morning Wire podcast can be heard below:

Anti-ICE Olympics

The 2026 Winter Olympics have kicked off in Milan, and it has already become a stage for anti-ICE demonstrations by protesters and athletes alike. There has been some unrest and performative activism in Italy regarding ICE agents assigned to the Olympic Games. Homeland Security officers are routinely deployed at major international events to support security and protect Americans. But ICE’s presence this year has been met with protests from local left-wing activists. Local officials have been upset, as well. Milan’s mayor referred to ICE as a “militia that kills.” At least one protest in Italy has devolved into violence, with agitators firing fireworks and officers responding in force. Opposition to ICE extended beyond locals and reached the Olympic Village. Team USA renamed its camp from the “ICE House” to the “Winter House” to distance itself from the agency. Several athletes used their platforms to condemn ICE worldwide, including freestyle skiers Hunter Hess and Chris Lillis, and figure skater Amber Glenn. President Donald Trump responded directly to Hess on Truth Social. The president called Hess a “real Loser” who “shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it.”

The Search For Nancy Guthrie: Day 9

The search for Nancy Guthrie enters its ninth day with an active weekend at both the 84-year-old’s home and her daughter’s house nearby. On Sunday afternoon, authorities returned to Guthrie’s home. There were two Pima County sheriff’s deputies searching the grounds, focusing on the backyard. It appeared they were searching a septic tank. On Saturday, law enforcement spent at least three hours at Annie Guthrie’s home, where Nancy ate dinner the night of her disappearance. Officials say they don’t have any suspects or any persons of interest. But Savannah Guthrie released a new video over the weekend. “We received your message, and we understand,” she said in a video released on Saturday night. “We beg you now to return our mother to us, so we can celebrate with her. This is the only way we will have peace.” She added that the family “will pay” a ransom.

WaPo Bloodbath

Former Washington Post employees protested outside the legacy outlet’s headquarters after mass layoffs left them unemployed. Over the weekend, the company saw another high-profile departure – its publisher has now stepped down days after the media company cut roughly 30% of its staff, about 300 employees. The Post announced Saturday that its publisher, Will Lewis, is out. He wrote a short note to staff in which he said all the changes he had helped make were intended to ensure a “sustainable future” for the outlet. He also made a point of praising owner Jeff Bezos, who is being criticized by many of the terminated employees. Bezos has been hammering the same sustainability message, and framing this moment as an “extraordinary opportunity” to fulfill the Post’s “essential journalistic mission.” He said, “Each and every day our readers give us a roadmap to success. The data tells us what is valuable and where to focus.”